A friend in need is a friend indeed

Below you have a video telling you what a good friend is like.

Do YOU agree with the ideas from the video?

The first sign in the video is that "you can count on them for the big stuff" that means you can count of them when you have problems and that relates with the saying "A friend in need is a friend indeed" that means that "that a friend who helps you when you really need help is a true friend". 

Bruno Mars has a song called "Count on me" expressing the same idea. 

Listen to it and complete the lyrics with the correct verb. You might need the verbs more than once.

Count on me, Bruno Mars

HELP               SEE                 SING                 FIND               NEED                        HAVE

If you ever 1.__________ yourself stuck in the middle of the sea

I'll sail the world to find you

If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't 2.__________ 

I'll be the light to guide you.

Find out what we're made of

When we are called to 3.__________ our friends in need

You can count on me like one, two, three, I'll be there

And I know when I 4.__________ it

I can count on you like four, three, two, you'll be there

'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do,

oh yeah , oooooh oooooh , yeah yeah

If you're tossin` and you're turnin' and you just can't fall asleep

I'll 5.__________ a song beside you

And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me

Everyday I will remind you

oh oh oh

Find out what we're made of

When we are called to 6.__________ our friends in need.

You can count on me like one, two, three, I'll be there

And I know when I 7.__________ it

I can count on you like four, three, two, you'll be there

'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do

oh yeah , oooh oooh , yeah yeah

You'll always 8.__________ my shoulder when you cry

I'll never let go, never say goodbye

You know you can count on me like one, two, three, I'll be there

And I know when I 9.__________ it

I can count on you like four, three, two, and you'll be there

'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do

oh yeah

oooooh ooooooh

ooh yea yea

You'll always 10.__________ my shoulder when you cry

I'll never let go, Never say goodbye

You know you can count on me like one, two, three

I'll be there

And I know when I 11.__________ it

I can count on you like four, three, two

And you'll be there

Cause that's what friends are supposed to do

Oh yea

Ooohhh Ooohhh

Oohh

You can count on me 'cause I can count on you...

Now watch this video where you have the lyrics so you can check your answers.

Learning with songs

One of my objectives for this school year is to include more songs in my teaching. Sometimes it gets very difficult to include more songs in our lessons because they are packed with content (grammar, vocabulary, listening activities, etc.). However, this blog will help me to make up for the possible lack of music in class.



And you might be asking but "Why is listening to songs going to help me improve my English"???

• Listening to songs in English is something you can do on your own at home. You don't need a teacher for this and this is already and good reason. You can learn at home whenever you want to.

• Listening to music you like is fun. It's a nice activity so it makes learning pleasant and easy.

• Learning can happen naturally. You concentrate on the music and lyrics without paying attention to the language structure.

• Watching videos with lyrics can help you improve your listening skills and your pronunciation.

• You're exposed to a wide variety of language helping you to learn new vocabulary and structures

Remember that you're learning English because you want to and you have to make the experience enjoyable. Listening to English songs and reading the lyrics along with the song is not only a great way to improve your English but a great way to enjoy it.

Below you have "Just the way you are" from Bruno Mars with matches with our topic from Unit 1, describing people.

You already worked the song in class with a gap filling activity, but there is something else you can do at home:

1. Listen to the song without reading the lyrics and try to get the main idea.
2. Listen again and write down the key words.
3. Check your key words with the lyrics and sing along.

When you sing along, pay attention to your pronunciation!

Ugly - Sugababes

"Ugly" is a song by British girl group Sugababes from their fourth studio album, Taller in More Ways (2005). Written and produced by Dallas Austin. 

The song released on 5 December 2005 in the United Kingdom as the second single from the album. "Ugly" is a midtempo pop song that contains lyrics about personality and body-image issues. It received comparisons to "Unpretty" by girl group TLC and "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera.

"Ugly" had positive reviews from music critics, many of whom liked the emotional and empowering concept behind it. The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. It achieved international commercial success, where it reached the top five in Denmark and New Zealand, and the top-ten the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway. 

The song's accompanying music video is set in a warehouse in New York City, and features people of different ages and races showcasing their talents. The Sugababes have performed the song at the V Festival in both 2006 and 2008, and at the Indig02in London, all of which received positive reviews from critics. "Ugly" has been used in schools within Wales to promote diversity and eliminate prejudice.

Here you have the videoclip...

Listening to songs

Today I listened to a very interesting programme on the radio and I thought we should speak about music.

If you came to our "Acto Inaugural" in the EOI La Orotava you already know the importance of listening to music in English.
Listening to English songs can help you practise and improve your listening, it can also help you revise vocabulary and grammar and of course it can help you learn new vocabulary and new structures.

However, we can't forget listening to music is fun!! And that is probably the main reason to listen to songs in English.

This morning listening to "Cadena 100" listeners rang the programme to talk about English songs where they understood some Spanish phrases or words. These are some of the songs they mentioned:

The Soundtrack of Moulin Rouge – Your Song . Here you can hear "Ana que te has fumao?", minute 1:11 where in fact it says I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss. 

Now we are going to listen to Disturbia from the singer Rihanna in the minute 0:33 you can hear "Huelo a filetes" but the actual words are "Why do I feel like this?"

And the last song of today is One from U2 where you can here in the minute 1:39 "Traigo pasta y yogur light" where in fact it says "To drag the past into the light" .

It's fantastic, isn't it?

Do you know any other songs where you can hear Spanish?? 
If the answer is yes, you can share it with me so we can all have a good laugh.

Thanks!!

Nobody does it better

This is the song we listened to in class last week.

The boy does nothing - Alesha Dixon

Finally - Ce Ce Peniston

Listen to the song and complete the blanks with a word from the list. There are some words you need to use twice and there are some words you do not need to use.
Listen twice to the song and then check your answers.

attraction      dreams      world         wife           hair      affection 
one             emotion        face x2     real       wrong x2



Finally it has happened to me
Right in front of my (1) __________
My feelin's can't describe it
Finally it has happened to me
Right in front of my (2) __________
And I just cannot hide it

Meeting Mr. Right, the man of my (3) __________
The one and only true love or at least it seems
With brown coco skin and curly black (4) __________
It's just the way he looks at me, that gentle lovin' stare

Finally you come along
The way I feel about you it just can't be (5) __________
If you only knew the way I feel about you
I just can't describe him oh no no

CHORUS
CHORUS

It seemed so many times he seemed to be the (6) __________
But all he ever wanted was to have a little fun
But now you've come along and brightened up my (7) __________
In my heart I feel it I'm that special kind of girl

Finally you come along
The way I feel about you it just can't be (8) __________
If you only knew the way I feel about you
I just can't describe him oh no no

CHORUS
CHORUS

Finally
Ooooooooh finally yeah yeah
Oh





ANSWER KEY:

1. face
2. face
3. dreams
4. hair
5. wrong
6. one
7. world
8. wrong

Rome wasn't build in a day

Hi guys,

Today at the beginning of the lesson I played the song Rome wasn't built in a day from Morcheeba. I chose this song in purpose because we were going to do lots of listening practice and were also going to practise pronunciation.

I really like the song and it has a good title to bear in mind while this long learning process lasts because Rome wasn't build in a day ;-)

I hope you like it!

ABC - The Jackson 5

Listen to the song and put the verbs in the correct tense (present simple, past simple, infinitive or the gerund (-ing form).

A buh-buh buh buh-buh 

A buh-buh buh buh-buh 

You (1)_________ to school to learn, girl (GO)
Things you never, never (1)_________ before (KNOW)

Like I before E except after C

And why two plus two (3)_________ four (MAKE)
Now now now, I'm gonna (4)_________ you (TEACH)
Teach you, teach you 

All about love, dear
All about love 

Sit yourself down, take a seat 
All you gotta do is (5)_________ after me. (REPEAT)

ABC 
Easy as
one, two, three 
Or simple as
Do re mi 
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl!
ABC 
Easy as
one, two, three 
Or simple as
Do re mi 
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me! 

Come on, let me love you just a little bit! 
Come on, let me love you just a little bit! 
I'm a going to teach how to (6)_________ it out! (SING)
Michael: Come on, come on, come on 
Let me (7)_________ you what it's all about! (SHOW)

Reading, (8)_________ and arithmetic (WRITE)
Are the branches of the learning tree 

But without the roots of love every day, girl 

Your education ain't complete 
T-T-T-Teacher's gonna show you 

Show you, show you 

How to (9)_________ an A! (GET)

Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah! 

Spell "me" "you" 
Add the two! (10)_________ to me baby, that's all you gotta do! (LISTEN)

ABC 
Easy as 
one, two, three 
Or simple as 
Do re mi 
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me girl!
ABC 
Easy as
one, two, three 
Or simple as 
Do re mi 
ABC, one, two, three, baby, you and me!

Sit down, girl! 
I think I love you! 
No! 
Get up, girl! 
Show me what you can do! 

Shake it, shake it, baby, come on now! 
Shake it, shake it, baby, ooo oooh! 
Shake it shake it, baby, huh! 
one, two, three, baby, oo ooo! 
ABC, baby, nah nah! 
Do re mi, baby, huh! 
That's how easy love can be. 

ABC 
ABC, it's easy 

Easy as one, two, three 
It's like counting up to three
Or simple as Do re mi 
Sing a simple melody 
That's how easy love can be!

Easy as one, two, three 
It's like counting up to three
Or simple as Do re mi 
Sing a simple melody 
That's how easy love can be!


Now watch the video with the lyrics and check your answers.

Mika-Live your life

Listen to the song TWICE and put the sentences in the correct place. There are two extra sentences you do not need to use.

A. Everybody wanna talk like you

B. Yeah you’ve got that secret

C. You have to smile everyday

D. And everybody needs a friend like you

E. Everybody likes going out

F. And make them friends

G. You’ve got the whole world in your pocket



(1) ____________________
But you just don’t know
Everybody’s smilin’ at you everywhere you go
It’s like you’ve got that secret
Everybody else wants to know
Oh yeah



Anywhere you are is just like home to you
From the beaches in Manila
Down to Katmandu

(2) ____________________
Everybody else wants to know
And you won’t ever let it go oh

Everybody wanna hold your hand
Everybody wanna shine that bright
Everybody wanna say they can
Everybody wanna live your life

Everybody wanna talk like you
Only wanna do the things you do
‘Cause they always gonna turn out right
Everybody wanna live your life

We take a whole room full of strangers
(3) ____________________
We do it all around the world
Just so it never ends

It don’t matter where we’re coming from or going to
You’re the only one that ever turns a grey sky blue
(4) ____________________

Everybody wanna hold your hand
Everybody wanna shine that bright
Everybody wanna say they can
Everybody wanna live your life

(5) ____________________
Only wanna do the things you do
‘Cause they always gonna turn out right
Everybody wanna live your life

Somos ciudadanos del mundo, así
Yo siempre a tu lado y tú junto a mi
El mundo está en tus manos, no lo sabes ya
Como un diamante siempre brillara

Everybody wanna hold your hand
Everybody wanna shine that bright
Everybody wanna say they can
Everybody wanna live your life

Everybody wanna talk like you
Only wanna do the things you do
‘Cause they always gonna turn out right
Everybody wanna live your life 



Now listen to the song again and check your answers.

ANSWER KEY:

1. G      2. B      3. F      4. D      5. A

Don't stop me now

Dreams - The Cranberries

Reach Out I'll Be There

West Side Story

Today, September the 26th, but in 1957 West Side Story had its premiere on Broadway.

Have you seen this classic? If not have a look at the trailer of the film to check if you would like to watch it ;-)